Devices which use heat from a light bulb to dispense a fragrance or other vapor are well known in the art. There are several categories of devices which distribute scent in this manner. These categories include devices which wrap a ring of an absorbent material around the neck of the bulb, adhere an impregnated pad to the bulb, rest fragrance material in a well or depression in the top of a specially designed bulb, rest on the bulb to hold a liquid, and rest a specially formed scent impregnated polyamide resin on the bulb. For example, devices which wrap a ring of an absorbent material around the neck of the bulb are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,920,599 issued to Schuh, U.S. Pat. No 2,238,476 issued to Monteith, U.S. Pat. No. 2,468,164 issued to Brewster, U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,696 issued to Morrison, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,741,812 issued to Tellier. Devices which hold or adhere an impregnated pad or cake against the bulb, are disclosed in, U.S. Pat. No. 2,372,371 issued to Eisner, U.S. Pat. No 2,435,756 issued to Schlesinger, and U.S. Patent No. 4,647,433 issued to Spector. Devices which rest fragrance material in a well or depression in the top of a specially designed bulb, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,535,486 issued to Lundy and Ratner U.S. Pat. No 4,965,490 issued to Ratner. Devices in which an attachment to the bulb holds a liquid that is vaporized by the bulb's heat are disclosed in U.S. Pat No. 1,403,548 issued to Dugerman, U.S. Pat. No. 1,556,680 issued to Dormet, U.S. Pat. No. 4,074,111 issued to Hunter, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,428 Gully. U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,099 issued Lindauer et al. discloses a specially formed scent impregnated polyamide resin which rests on the bulb.
All of the know prior art scent generating devices for light bulbs have had one or more disadvantages. The devices which dispense a heated liquid create a risk of lamp breakage or liquid spillage. Also personal injury could result if the hot liquid spilled on the user. Some of the devices which around the bulb block almost of the bulb's light. Several scent producing devices are for a single use only, and when the scent is dissipated the device must be discarded.
All of the prior art inventions use gravity, a complex molded shape, or an adhesive to hold the device against the bulb. The devices which rest around the neck of or on top of the bulb are held by gravity, so they are used only when the bulb is installed either base up or base down. The devices which fit around the entire bulb using several materials such glass, foil, or plastic plus an absorbent pad are relatively complex and expensive in construction and block a significant portion of the bulb's light. The devices which are held against the bulb by an adhesive are made of several materials and are not reusable.
In view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved fragrance of safe, simple and inexpensive design that is reusable and can be utilized on a light bulb regardless of orientation of the bulb.